Utrecht, a city in the Netherlands, is providing a glimpse of what cities could look like in a decade. One example is Catharijnesingel, which was a six-lane road for cars but has now been transformed into a canal for boating and nature. The project, which cost around €1bn, began after a referendum in 2002, where citizens voted to return the canal. Though it was supposed to have a grand reopening in 2020, Covid-19 changed that; however, the pandemic brought about a resurgence in active travel in other cities. Many people did not have a problem with the canal because it was righting a wrong and returning things to how they were in 1960 when cars were not ubiquitous.
Another example of Utrecht’s green revolution is the Wonderwoods Vertical Forest. This new complex, which is behind the train station for Utrecht, will become a residential and office space that covers in excess of 2.5 acres. When complete, about 360 trees, 9,000 bushes, and 10,000 plants will cover the building. The complex is project manager Hedzer Pathuis’ honour to work on. The building will have a cultural space for interesting events and exhibitions, a winter garden, and offices. Pathuis’s pride regarding the project’s inclusiveness is that approximately 60 of the 420 flats will be affordable, and the development’s maximum rent will be €1,000 per month for 20 years.
Despite being ambitious, Wonderwoods is not environmentally friendly regarding carbon emissions. The structure needs a lot of concrete and steel, and the greenery covers a lot of that, which does not make the project carbon-neutral. Stefano Boeri Architetti, who designed the complex, said that the greenery would increase public health, which is the trade-off.
Hof van Cartesius provides an alternate view of Utrecht’s future architecture. It is a creative incubator for circular entrepreneurs constructed out of waste material. Recyclable materials such as a faded water slide from a theme park, industrial crates and flowers, and changing rooms from a swimming pool constructed the buildings. Startups in the creative industry, fashion brands among them, have offices at Hof van Cartesius, and it also has a reclamation yard where individuals can rent a bench and hire tools for €10 per hour
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